


hold back the river

by perlaret



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Ensemble - Freeform, M/M, POV Multiple
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-27 14:44:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6288649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perlaret/pseuds/perlaret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A man without a daemon is a man with no soul.</p><p>His Dark Materials/Daemon AU set in the Star Wars canon universe. Drabble series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“No matter what happens,” Poe had told his daemon, the ruins of his engine and astromech smoking behind them as he slipped the data chip into the pouch at her neck, “we can’t let them get the map.”

That was only the first reason Poe’s stomach felt like it was roiling in his gut, his neck prickling with ever desperate flap of Beebee’s wings that took her further away, far beyond the point of comfortable distance. The masked man stood, fire flickering in the metal of his mask and eerily still, as the storm troopers patted Poe down roughly. His face was hidden, but his gaze weighed heavy.

“Nothing,” one trooper reported. “And no daemon.”

“Interesting,” Kylo Ren said, tilting his head like he’d finally scented blood. “Your daemon has it,” he concludes, “Which begs the question– where is it hiding?”

Poe wished he could will the shakiness from his limbs that betrayed the instinctual desire to answer that very question. Sweat beaded on his brow and tracked a shaky path downward across his temple. Failure was not an option, regardless of the impulse, so his lifted his chin and bared a sharp smile. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

The derisive sound that filtered through the mask might have been a laugh. Ren waved his hand in a short, dismissive gesture. “Put him on board. He’ll talk once we are off planet. His sentiment for the creature will ultimately betray him.”

Anxiety and resignation bound themselves in bands through his chest as the troopers dragged Poe into the command shuttle, their dog daemons falling into step at their heels. 

Kylo Ren followed soon behind, and nothing and no one haunted his steps but shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes you just need to write a self-indulgent au where the characters all have soul animals, ok? bb-8 is a [white-throated magpie-jay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_magpie-jay), whose only flaw is that it's blue and not orange. 
> 
> chat with me on [tumblr](http://perlaret.tumblr.com)  
> also, there's a [poe/ben|kylo ren fic exchange](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/knightpilotexchange/profile), both writers and artists are welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FN-2187 never quite fit in, and now he wants out.

His helmet went back on, but FN-2187 still felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb.

He’d been assigned to report for reconditioning and anxiety spun tight in his throat -- his first time, sure, but it would only open the door to more scrutiny. And more failure.

FNDA-Z12 whined, a gentle sound of concern. FN-2187 reached down, sinking his gloved fingers briefly into her thick fur, then withdrew again before anyone could notice and accuse him of any more noncompliance. A stormtrooper on duty did not rely on their daemon.

“It’s going to be fine,” FNDA-Z12 told him when they crossed into an empty hallway, her angled ears flicking sideways, alert for any stray sounds. She continued, which assured him that they were truly alone, if only for the moment. “It’s just the one time.”

“Until the next time,” F-2187 muttered, chewing on his lower lip. “We totally froze down there, and if it happens again--” He broke off, knowing his daemon could fill in the rest. She didn’t like it either, had felt the same aching horror at the very thought of aiming teeth and blaster at bystanders, at civilians. Put them up against enemy combatants and they were the best soldiers the First Order had to offer. But… they needed to be more. They were supposed to want to be more.

“There’s something wrong with us,” FN-2187 said, miserably putting to words what they’d avoided addressing for years. FNDA-Z12 gave him a narrow look, her yellow gaze sharp. He looked down at her, taking in her sleek gray coat, great paws, long body; even hidden beneath the anonymity of his trooper helmet, one only had to look at his daemon to know that he didn’t quite fit with everyone else. She was too big, too wolfish, and it was just something else that set them apart and to the side.

More quietly, an act of treason so soft it was hardly more substantial than a breath, he whispered: “I wish we could leave.”

FNDA-Z12 looked at him, then further down the corridor, where around another bend and corner lay the Reconditioning Unit. Their destination.

“We should,” she said. “Why shouldn’t we?”

“What?” he said, more loudly than intended. FN-2187 hurriedly dropped his voice, and bent in towards her to speak in an urgent hush. “You’re kidding. You know there there’s no way out of here. It’s not like I even know how to fly!”

His daemon huffed. “Are you telling me you can’t think of anyone on board The Finalizer today who might want out of here as much as we do? Because I can.”

“Kriffing hell,” FN-2187 said, the realization hitting him like a concussion bomb to the head. He spun back the way they’d come, heart rocketing in his chest. “So can I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finn's daemon is a wolf. Most stormtroopers have dog daemons that in our world would be breeds typical to police service -- labs, belgian malinois, rottweilers, and other breeds that take well to obedience training and guarding. There are certainly a respectable number of other specialized breeds and mutts too. Outright wolves, though, are incredibly rare.
> 
> chat with me on [tumblr](http://perlaret.tumblr.com)


End file.
